M. Short's Blog, page 4

Cry Havoc Excerpts from Chapter 2

“Yes, sir. Now is a great time. Thank you for asking. We have been working on the signal for hours. There was disbelief it was a Pilot Emergency Locator Beacon considering the great distances it was transmitting. They’re designed only to transmit up to 1600 kilometers. We have been tracking the signal since its strength increased and we now can confirm it to be a P.E.L.B. How that could happen we don’t know, but it must have been altered beyond belief. If you want to retrieve it, our calculations have determined it to be within range in 48 hours.”

 “What else can produce the same signal?” asked Futu.

“The unit has a unique signal. It’s designed for short-range with a distinctive signal pattern that allows it to track to a specific Hangar Ship. Because of the signal pattern, it has a discrete frequency range. How it’s transmitting over long distances has us scratching our heads.” said Doug.

“How are we picking up a powerful signal 48 hours away when its engineered to transmit only 1600 kilometers?” asked Stimpy.

“We want to know that too. It is a signal engineering feat.” said Doug.

 “Any other information we should know?”

 “Sir, I don’t know. Until we see what has been done, we’re just speculating.”

“Thanks, Doug.”

Stimpy looked at Futu. His facial expression was that of shock.

“So, let’s grab this thing and bring it back. You up for it?” asked Stimpy.

“Let’s do it. Since the P.E.L.B. signal is strong and transmitting over such extreme distances, it will give us insight to increasing not only the signal strength, but increasing survival time of our Pilots. I have been interested in a way to increase its range to allow a higher orbit, avoiding hostile Hangars Ships and exceeding the range of their short-range Space Fighters. This could be a tremendous improvement for our Hangar Ships. How soon can we get started?”

“Pound 1 is due in later today. Pound 2 should be here in the morning.”

“That is fine. We’ll get started in the morning.”

The next morning, Dispatch received a report that the trajectory of the P.E.L.B. had changed 90 degrees. It had collided with a large asteroid unscathed and was traveling perpendicular to its original path. This trajectory, along with the asteroid’s speed, had decreased the time to intercept.

Dispatch briefed Stimpy on the recent information and the changes in the speed and direction.

Stimpy decided it was time to call Futu and get him involved.

Futu, walking toward the office, reached for his communicator, “Futu.”

      “Futu, Stimpy. Can you come to Dispatch? There’s been a change in the P.E.L.B.’s direction.”

“On my way.”

Futu entered seeing Dispatch and Stimpy huddled around the long-range scanner, “What’s up guys?”

Stimpy turned toward Futu, “You want to see our good fortune?”

Futu, puzzled, approached the scanner, “What good fortune is on the scanner?”

“It hit an asteroid last night and is heading toward us. It’s only eight hours out and closing. We can intercept it in less than seven hours with a Hangar Ship. Now the bad news. There is another Hangar Ship heading on an intercept course. No confirmation yet, but we have traced it back to a sector along our eastern border.”

Cigars, Cigarette, Tipporillos

Yesterday my grandson Antony looked at me with a stern face, “What is the most bizarre thing you’ve ever seen Papa?”

I didn’t even have to think about it, “Cigars.”

Now think about it, over a thousand years ago a Mayan thought he’d look cool to roll a leaf of tobacco inside a plantain leaf and lit it. Then to top that dumb move, he inhaled the smoke. Absolutely beyond belief. Not to be outdone by an ancient rebellious Mayan teenager, modern man has rolled tobacco we call cigars and pays $50 dollars for the pleasure of watching it burn away under his nose. Stupid seems to have continued throughout the ages.

If it were me, I would start a wood fire and breath in the smoke. At least you will stay warm while you are attempting long-term suicide. My grand father died from smoking and my father smoked for 30 years before he realized it was stupid and quit. Watching my grandfather and father coughing and wheezing was a valuable lesson. Ingesting anything into your body not on the pyramid of food chart is BAD.

You want to do something wild and crazy, throw your car keys in a lake and get drunk Then at least you can equate the cost of your actions to what you derived from your action. Cars aren’t that expensive.

Moral of the Story: Cool equals stupid. Taking care of your mind and body equals being Smart. Smart people live longer.

My Mind Control

The mind is an interesting topic for me because of its complexity. The mind controls body functions and translates pain, as to location and severity and can help promote healing, which is great. I have the power to reason and decide my responses based on the mind’s previous experiences.

My mind also provokes emotion of joy and happiness, jealousy and anger. It perceives reality, but not genuine reality. It perceives its own reality based on my experience’s, environment and functionality of each part and chemical makeup of my brain. While others feel happiness, I may feel depression because of my mind’s reality.

As a combat veteran, I too had suffered from what has been called gun shy, shell-shocked and post-traumatic stress syndrome. While they are real and have been diagnosed as mental conditions, to me it is brain conditioning. If I’m in an environment of violence, my mind conditions me to react, invoking my survival response of flight or fight, flee or stay. In my experiences, if this response is unchecked, my mind will magnify its response. This magnification, in my opinion, increases adrenaline and other flight or fight endorphins. Basically, turning my mind into an adrenaline junkie.

Three things kept me from turning to the dark side. My wife, family, and my faith. Shelia put up with my actions and consoled me during dark times. Family being understanding and supportive. Faith gave me the power to overcome a mind I had little control over. When I felt I had the power to control my mind. I wouldn’t accept my mind’s perception of my reality. As each emotion producing my flight or fight response emerged, I would recite Matthew 4:10 to put the emotion in my emotional lock box.

Putting these emotions into my internal lock box was like trying to put a cat into a sack. It took many tries to lock it away. This took 27 years to detoxify my mind. But it doesn’t end there. My mind continues to think what I call evil thoughts. Armed with the power to control my mind, evil thoughts still encroach, but they’re rejected by my conscience, giving me peace.

If you keep looking backwards, you’ll never see what’s coming.

I am not a psychiatric doctor, therapist, or a counselor. What I am writing is my experiences and mine alone. I write this to provoke thought and to entertain.

What is Love?

As a father of two daughters and a husband over fifty years, I’ve accumulated experience and with much thought and insight into what love might be.

I married, at nineteen, to a wonderful woman who I had known since the fourth grade. We both were raised in a small agricultural community in the Midwest. I didn’t realize then she was to become my wife and soulmate.

Our marriage was tested quickly with my deployment to Vietnam only three months after we married. This grew our bond even more. Our daughters were born in 1971 and 1974. My daughters, as most young girls dreamed of marriage and life with their soulmate.

Asked many times, I finally thought of an answer. My answer was love is a need. If you feel a person in your life is needed to complete your life, that is love. As the years passed, my definition has changed with a more experienced approach.

The love of another is the desire to share your life with someone and to grow into the people GOD wants you both to be. Genuine love is not physical, although it may start out that way, it will soon give way to the wants and needs of your spouse.

I have mentioned in previous blogs the acronym J.O.Y. Love is joy and I have found through a relationship with GOD you can glimpse into what I refer to as a spiritual love. It makes you aware that a gesture of love, such as that of JESUS, in the Christian belief, is a gesture of sacrifice to his creation. Marriage is a creation merging two lives into one. If we follow his example, we too can feel we’re committed to the marriage as JESUS is committed to his creation, you. Spiritual love is a two-way street. love is given and love is received to glorify one another.

I look upon my wife as a gift from GOD to be cherished and cared for. The King James bible, describes a wife as one who takes strength from her husband and then returns it as encouragement and praise. If his wife is to draw strength from her husband, he must strong.

One strength she can draw from is his love and respect for her. If she feels loved and respected as an individual participating in the marriage by her husband she will return his love and respect.

Another strength is her husbands expression of love for her to others. A public acknowledgement of his love for her will be returned in many ways.

The one strength she will draw on the most is one of maintaining the laws of the marriage. Your vows you express in your marriage to love, cherish, honor and obey the laws of this new creation until death do you part.

My marriage of fifty years has taught me while we will have times of discord, genuine love will find a way to keep you together if you work hard and draw from each other’s strength and forgive each others weaknesses.

Father always said, “Marriage is the willingness to put up with each others crap.”

He and my mother where married for fifty years.

Happy Valentine’s day.

A Fable by Aesop

The Owl & the Grasshopper

The Owl always takes her sleep during the day. Then after sundown, when the rosy light fades from the sky and the shadows rise slowly through the wood, out she comes ruffling and blinking from the old hollow tree. Now her weird “hoo-hoo-hoo-oo-oo” echoes through the quiet wood, and she begins her hunt for the bugs and beetles, frogs and mice she likes so well to eat.

Now there was a certain old Owl who had become very cross and hard to please as she grew older, especially if anything disturbed her daily slumbers. One warm summer afternoon as she dozed away in her den in the old oak tree, a Grasshopper nearby began a joyous but very raspy song. Out popped the old Owl’s head from the opening in the tree that served her both for door and for window.

“Get away from here, sir,” she said to the Grasshopper. “Have you no manners? You should at least respect my age and leave me to sleep in quiet!”

But the Grasshopper answered saucily that he had as much right to his place in the sun as the Owl had to her place in the old oak. Then he struck up a louder and still more rasping tune.

The wise old Owl knew quite well that it would do no good to argue with the Grasshopper, nor with anybody else for that matter. Besides, her eyes were not sharp enough by day to permit her to punish the Grasshopper as he deserved. So she laid aside all hard words and spoke very kindly to him.

“Well sir,” she said, “if I must stay awake, I am going to settle right down to enjoy your singing. Now that I think of it, I have a wonderful wine here, sent me from Olympus, of which I am told Apollo drinks before he sings to the high gods. Please come up and taste this delicious drink with me. I know it will make you sing like Apollo himself.”

The foolish Grasshopper was taken in by the Owl’s flattering words. Up he jumped to the Owl’s den, but as soon as he was near enough so the old Owl could see him clearly, she pounced upon him and ate him up.

The Moral of the Story: Flattery is not a proof of true admiration. Do not let flattery throw you off your guard against an enemy.

Why Couldn’t I have been a Grandparent first

Grand parenting is the best job ever. Yesterday my two grandchildren, Anthony and Kassandra, were at the house. They played quietly. Little angels wishing only to make you happy. Truly a joy to be around.

My wife and Kassandra made cookies. Anthony and I had discussions about cold fusion and airplanes, and unlike my daughters, his gaze didn’t wonder or his eyes glass over with a look of sheer boredom.

Then children at the learned age of sixteen, conclude their parents have had a lobotomy. Now you’re the dumbest person who ever walked the planet. While grandchildren, no matter their age, look to their grandparents with admiration and love.

Your children, looking at you with their, as if, look, “You don’t know what it’s like being sixteen. When you were growing up, there wasn’t any fashion.”

Another one of my personal favorites is when your daughter looks at you, “You know nothing about anything. You are making my life miserable.”

Then a miracle happens, they marry and have kids. Now you’re getting phone calls in the middle of the night, “I can’t get the children to eat anything green.”

The sobbing phone call, “I talk to them and talk to them and they act like I’m not there.”

Then the best one is the call, “These kids think I’m there maid not their mother.”

I cannot count how many times I heard that from my children’s mother. Hearing it brings a smile to a grandparent’s face.

Carma can be cruel.

Escape from the Mamluk Empire

I hope you have enjoyed the stories about Christopher’s and Bud’s great adventure. As the adventures continues the book is expected to be ready for pre-order in late August. If there are some of you who would like an advanced free copy of the eBook for a review please leave a comment to this post with your email. When the book is ready I will send you a copy in your desired format.

Thank you for following Christopher and Bud. I hope you enjoy the book as much as much as you enjoyed the blog post.

Excerpts from Chapter 1

The radio crackled. As they crowded around the radio, they heard a person shouting, “Anyone …read …mission…is Rick calling…who can…low on supplies… Commander Richards left…squad…to find…supplies…morale low…no… from Richards…anyone hear me…. Reply.”

The transmission ended.

After the transmission ended, Futu, Stimpy, and Dispatch talked among themselves to figure out what they had heard.

 “It sounded as if he was making a distress call. I heard him say something regarding lack of supplies.”, Futu said.

 “Yes, he did. Did I hear the name Richards?”, Stimpy said.

 “Yes. I could make that out, no question.”, Dispatch said.

 “Hearing Richard’s name again doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling. What did he say Richards was doing?”, Futu asked.
“He mentioned Richards left with a squad to find something.”, Dispatch said.

 “Were we able to locate the source of the transmission.”, Stimpy asked.

 “No, sir. It was too short. Very weak and broken.”, Dispatch said.

 “I heard the name Rick. Sounded as if he was in real trouble. Anyone ever hear that call sign before today?”, Stimpy said.

Both Futu and Dispatch shook their head.

 “Do you think you can get this Rick guy back on the radio? We need more information.”, Futu asked.

 “What was he telling us regarding his supplies? You think our sponsor maybe able to shed light on the matter?”, a puzzled Stimpy said

“We can try. It is a new relationship. Reggie is not an easy read. He may not be in the sharing mood.”, Futu said.

As Dispatch, tried to get Rick on the radio with no success, Stimpy walked toward the radio. Futu had left Dispatch heading back to his office to make his call to Reggie.

“Dispatch let me send a transmission in the blind. His radio might receive transmissions. It sounded as if he needed to hear another person’s voice.”, Stimpy said.

      “I am Commander Stimpy with DOW on WTF base transmitting in the blind. Rick, we received your transmission. We too are facing challenges. Sometimes the situation seems bleak, but we must not waiver. A twentieth century American General said there is no substitute for Victory. It must resolve us to carry on our Clan’s tradition of adapting to situations and overcoming challenges. Keep the faith, Rick, Keep the faith.”, Stimpy said.

 “Wow, that was great, sir. I hope he heard it.”, Dispatch said.

 “Well, a good pep-talk never hurt. If you get a response to my transmission, let me know. I’m heading back to my office. You can reach me there if you need me.”

 “Yes, sir. If I hear from him again, I will call you.”

Stimpy smiled with two thumbs up, then exited Dispatch heading back to his office.

Futu entered his office and shut the door behind him. Futu sat in his chair sighing, “I hope this goes well.” He dialed Reggie’s number, listening to the communicator buzz in his ear.
“Hello Futu.”, Reggie said.

 “Hello Reggie. I wanted to check in with you to see if we might share information.”, Futu said.

“I guess that depends on what information you want shared?”

“We received a radio transmission from an unknown source a few minutes ago. The transmission alluded to an attack and the lack of supplies. The transmission mentioned a Commander named Richards. Is there any information you can share with us? We have concerns.”

“I guess you deserve to know what is happening. The Trade Federation is conducting a strike. They want to renegotiate their agreement with the corporations. I am assured they will reach an amiable agreement in a few more days. XTECH expected this move by them and have increased our supply levels to sustain our Proxy Clans for several months.”

 “We are gun shy here, Reggie. Our last Clan Leader kept us like a mushroom, covered with crap and kept in the dark. We need transparency, and we need you to keep us informed if any problems arise. For now, we are good. Just remember, we work better in the light.”

“You and your Clan are fine. There will be no problems that we can’t fix.”

“I hope so. I got my Clan into this and I don’t want to tell them we may have supply problems.”

“Nothing will go wrong, Futu. We’ve been working to get you guys for a while and we will not endanger our relationship.”

“What should we think about this transmission?”

 “I’ll check it out, but it sounds as if the poor bastard got hooked up with the wrong people. You’ve heard the stories about Richards. He’d cut your throat if it involved money. You guys have proven yourselves. We will prove ourselves to you. You have nice digs, right? Plenty of parts and supplies, not to mention four Hangar Ships. We have done everything we promised. There will be no mushrooms on WTF.”

Is There Romance in the Air

After breakfast, Christopher gathered everyone together. “We are going shopping today. When we get to town Natalie and Bryan will drop us off at the Mall, then take overwatch sniper positions on her house’s roof. Maintain radio silence until a target is spotted. Once in position, radio us. When we have completed clothes shopping, we will radio for extraction. When we call, Natalie will collect her winter coats, then Natalie and Bryan will pick us up. Next stop will be Bryan’s house. Bryan, you need to be in and out with your clothes in fifteen minutes. The dealership will be our next stop. Bryan and Sylvia will select two trucks with sides. We will take hoses, funnels and buckets to siphon enough gas to get them back to the house. Chances are the refueling points will be empty, but we’ll check them, anyway. If we find a refueling point with fuel, we will fill the trucks and the bulk tank in Natalie’s truck. Minimum time on the ground without oversight. Questions anyone?”

Bud raised his hand, “Can I get red winter pants? I have never had red pants.”

Christopher nodded his head, “Red pants it is young man. Even if there are no red pants, we will dye them red for you. Any more questions before we leave?”

Bud raised his hand again, “Do I get to burn any trucks or mobiles?”

“Sorry big guy, not this time.”

Natalie dropped them off at the mall and then headed to her house to set up the overwatch with Bryan. Sylvia and Claudia checked out the girl and teen shops. Christopher and Bud checked out the boy’s stores. Three hours later, with half the mall stacked by the front door, they had everything on the list. Christopher radioed, “Overwatch were are ready.”

Natalie radioed, “Roger, ETA twenty minutes to your location.”

After they loaded the truck, they headed to the dealership. Natalie took overwatch as Sylvia and Bryan picked out two trucks. Christopher and Bud teamed up to siphoned fuel, as did Sylvia and Claudia and Bryan. After they siphoned as much fuel as possible, Natalie was called down from her observation point.

Sylvia and Natalie checked out fueling points while Bryan drove to his house. He was on schedule, in and out, in less than fifteen minutes. They found two refueling points with fuel. After all the trucks were full, they headed to the house.

As they were traveling, Bud let everyone know he was now the proud owner of red pants, big ones. Sylvia stared at Christopher as Bud kept bragging about his red pants.

Christopher shrugged his shoulders, “He insisted on wearing one pair home. What could I say?”

They unloaded the truck and covered them. They ate a late lunch, then they were treated to a fashion show of the children’s new clothes. After dinner it was time to start the 1800-hour watch.

Natalie and Bryan came to Christopher, “Would it be alright if we watched together until 0100 hours?”

Christopher trying to look stern, “There needs to be total concentration out there. If you miss someone approaching, we all could die. You understand the seriousness of these watches?”

Bryan stepped forward, “We understand, sir. Natalie and I won’t let you down. We will either be behind our binoculars or our scopes. It helps to have company out there, sir. It can get lonely on watch.”

“No one is going to die on our watch, Christopher. We promise.” said Natalie.

Christopher appearing to be in deep thought, “It is worth a try. I’ll relief you both at 0100 hours. Remember, you promised not to let me down.

Natalie excited, gave Christopher a kiss on the cheek, “We won’t.”

They grabbed their binoculars, sniper rifles and helmets to start their watch.

Bud and Claudia were playing a board game at the kitchen table, while Sylvia and Christopher sat on the sofa in the front room. Sylvia turned toward Christopher, “So, Mr. Softy. First the red pants, then Bryan and Natalie. You are on a roll today. My money says Bud sleeps in those red pants tonight.”

“If he does, it’s fine with me. He’s seven. Sleeping in your pants is a rite of passage, right? Since we are discussing expectations, I was very disappointed not seeing you in the fashion show. I didn’t take you for the shy type.”

Sylvia leaned over to Christopher and stroked his face, “You still have more cards to play soldier. If you play them correctly, you may get a private fashion show.”

Christopher Recovers from his Wounds

Once Christopher was on the exam table, she cut his shirt off for a better look at the severity of the wound. As she removed his shirt, she noticed the scars from Christopher’s shrapnel wounds he had accumulated over the years as a fighter pilot, “Well, it explains why you’re not in severe shock. The experience is nothing new to you.”

Christopher talked, but Sylvia cut him off, “You lay back and be quiet. I have work to do. You’re distracting me with your tongue flapping. This shot is a local anesthesia, but you may still have slight pain.” As Sylvia was digging the bullet out of his shoulder, a single shot rang out from the fighting positions. Sylvia put her forearm across Christopher’s chest.

“All we need to know is whether the shot was out going or in coming?”

Christopher looking at Sylvia, “It was outgoing.”

“Stay still then.”

After Sylvia removed the bullet, she bandaged and put his shoulder into a sling and administered a shot to help fight infection. Christopher now setting on the edge of the exam table, “I need to check on Bryan and Natalie.”

“Fine, take these crutches. I don’t want those stitches torn open.”

As Christopher walked out of the exam room, he was greeted by Bud and Claudia. Bud hugged his leg, “You ok Christopher?”

Christopher looked at Bud hugging his leg, I’m fine Bud it was just a scratch. You and Claudia stay here with Sylvia. I’m going to check on Bryan and Natalie. I’ll be right back.”

Christopher radioed, “Bryan, Natalie. I’m coming back to the fighting positions. Don’t shoot me and stay down. No need to give them a clear shot after surviving that battle.”

Natalie radioed. “One tried, but didn’t get the chance. I took him out quickly.”

Christopher radioed, “That’s my girl. Keep those heads down and eyes open.”

When he arrived at his fighting position, he scanned the battle line. Nothing was seen, even on infrared. He radioed, “Anyone coming down from the adrenaline rush yet?”

No response.

Christopher clicked his radio, “OK, you two can keep each other company for the rest of the night. Increase your scans with infrared scopes from the front to each side. If someone eludes your scans and tries to flank us, you can catch them when you scan to the side. Make your scans smooth but quick. Scan from the sides first, moving to the front. Understood?”

Natalie radioed, “Acknowledged.”

Bryan radioed, “Acknowledged, sir.”

Christopher radioed, “Sylvia or myself will be out at the top of every hour with snacks, coffee and breakfast tea. We’ll radio before we come out. No radio call, shoot first, ask questions later. I’ll be back at the top of the hour.”

As he entered the cave, Sylvia helped him to the kitchen table, “Now you ready for bed?”

Christopher looked at Sylvia, “It will be light in a few hours, Natalie and Bryan are pumped up on adrenaline and won’t be able to sleep for two days. I need to make sure they are fine until daybreak. We will detect aggressors better during the day. I told them I would bring out snacks and coffee and breakfast tea for Natalie at the top of every hour. I also told them if they don’t get a radio call and they see someone they were to shoot and ask questions later.”

Sylvia sitting at the table, “In that case I’ll let you go. If they shoot me, there won’t be anyone to patch me back together.”

Christopher chuckling, “You have a point there.”

Sylvia set the timer on the range and got a deck of cards from a cabinet drawer, “Ginn Rummy, 500-point game?”

“No strip poker?”

“We’ve only been through one battle. What kind of girl do you think I am?”

Christopher laughed out loud.

“Quiet, you’ll wake the children.”

Ginn Rummy and shuttling food and drink to the fighting positions kept them going through the night.

When the sun was above the horizon. Christopher sent Natalie and Bryan to get their rest. They would be on watch tonight. After Bud and Claudia had their breakfast, Sylvia brought them out to start their game of finding people playing hide and go seek. After the kids were in place, Sylvia stared at Christopher, “Its daylight. Time for you to hit the rack soldier.”

“I have pulled an all-nighter before.”

“Not with a bullet wound. I’ve had much more all-nighters than you can imagine. I spent three of my five-years as a nurse pulling double shifts. You are going to bed for the next few days. I’ll wake you for lunch.

Christopher hearing her logic could not argue with her. At lunch Sylvia came into Christopher’s room with hot soup and pain pills, “You’re going to need both. Pills first, then the soup.”

As Christopher tried to sit up, pain shot through his shoulder. The pain pills were the first thing he reached for. Looking at Sylvia, “How are our game players doing?”

“They’re doing fine. Bud is upset, there is no one playing today. I told him to keep watching, it was early yet for hide and seekers to be playing. Bryan and Natalie are awake. They have been asking about you. Natalie volunteered to make you dinner. So, I will get my sleep after your finished with lunch. In four hours, I’ll check in on you and give you your meds. Bryan has instructions concerning any efforts you may make to get out of bed. If you don’t want a poke in your shoulder, stay in bed.

“I’ll be a good patient Nurse Sylvia. Don’t worry.”

“Good, it’s time for you and I to get some sleep. I’ll check in on you later. Good night.”

Before Christopher knew it, Natalie brought in dinner. It was soup and more medication.

“No steak? I like steak for dinner.”

Natalie looking at him, “Only soup for the next day or two, Sylvia orders. When your healed you can have steak.”

“How are the scans going? Any movement in town?”

“They’ve seen no one all day. It seems like the town emptied overnight. Bryan and I will scan for any lights tonight.”

“Make your scans 180 degrees. Start by facing the town, then to the other side of the mountain. We don’t want them to seek up on us from behind.”

“I’ll let Bryan know. See you in the morning.”

Christopher laid back and went to sleep. Sylvia came in at 2100 hours, 0100 hours, 0500 hours giving him his medicine. At 0900 hours she had breakfast and more medication.

“How’s the pain this morning?”

“It’s still there, if that is what you’re asking. When did I get the I.V.?”

“The same time I hooked you up to the heart monitor.”

Christopher looked around, seeing the heart monitor and the I. V. bag hanging by the bed.

“You’ve been a busy little nurse. How are the kids doing?”

“They are doing fine. Bud keeps asking how you are doing. You have become quite the father figure to him, you know.”

“He helped me a lot as well. He is a special young man. Any more movement in town?”

It’s been quiet for over thirty-six hours. The odor from the bodies is getting worse in the scorching sun. The bodies are already attracting scavenger birds. Bryan and I are going to burn the field today.

“No, you’re not. I can help Bryan. Remember, if you get shot there’s no one to put you back together. Besides, it won’t take long. I will stay in bed for as long as you want me to after we finish. Natalie can stand watch and you can keep Claudia and Bud in the house. Deal?”

“One hour only. No more.”

Christopher and Bryan burned bodies and mobiles, making the scene look as if it was a military strike. The fires burned well into the night.

For the next seven days Christopher rested while the others-maintained watch over the countryside and him. On the eighth day, Sylvia let Christopher take his meals at the table having conversations with everyone. Spirits were high. Weeks soon turned into months with no one in sight.

 Christopher felt a chill in the air. It would be winter soon and the younger ones could not maintain their watch, nor was their food supply infinite. Soon they will need to hunt and gather to survive. Their supply of sugar and flour and canned goods would last 12 months or longer, depending on what they could gather before winter. But there were bigger matters to address today. Bud’s seventh birthday party.

Christopher had gathered decorations for the party before they left town. Along with the decorations, Bud’s Seventh birthday party had noise makers, cake and Ice cream for everyone. Bud was having a great time. After the party, Christopher couldn’t see Bud. He searched outside first, then went to his room where he found him crying.

“Hey, Bud. First birthday without your parents is the toughest. My first birthday without my family was really tough too. From that point forward, I kept my friends close. I still miss them, but I have Natalie, Bryan, Claudia, Sylvia and you. You’re my best friend ever.”

Bud whimpering, peered up at Christopher, “Your best friend ever?”

Christopher nodded, “Best friend ever.”

Bud gave Christopher an enormous hug, “You’re my best friend ever too Christopher.”

They spent the next hour playing and talking in Bud’s room.

As they emerged from his room, they found Sylvia in the front room reading.

Christopher looking at Bud, “Let’s find the others. it’s a pretty day outside to play. You find them and I’ll be out in a minute.”

“OK, see you in a few minutes Christopher.”

As Bud ran out the front door Sylvia looked at Christopher, “He’s missing his family?”

“It’s his first birthday without them. He took it pretty hard, but I think he is going to be OK.”

“The younger you are, the faster you get over tragedy. He has you now.”

“He has all of us now. We’re his adopted family.”

“You know, for a battle-hardened warrior, you have a soft spot there in the middle of your chest.”

“Bud reminds me of the childhood I didn’t have. I’ll make sure he and Claudia have the childhood they deserve. It may not be ideal, but they will have a childhood.”

“We both can work on that project. Let’s check on the children.”

Sylvia and Christopher walked out the front door to see Bud and Claudia playing. Natalie and Bryan were sitting back-to-back, scanning the countryside and talking to one another. Sitting in the grass, Christopher and Sylvia started talking as they watched the children.

As Christopher looked over the countryside, “Winter is just around the corner. Do the children need more clothes?”

“They will, Bud and Claudia are not getting smaller. They will need coats, shirts, pants and shoes. Bryan and Natalie are at the slow growth stage. They need to get their winter clothes from their house. I’ll make a list of clothes they will need. Tomorrow we could go to town and pickup clothes for Bud and Claudia. I haven’t been shopping for a long time. I could use a few things myself and you definitely need more clothes. We may need more party supplies too. Blue streamers and balloons are not the birthday decorations Claudia or Natalie would want for their birthday.”

 “You are probably right on the color selection. We’ll look for more decorations too. We’ll need hunting equipment and two or three freezers to hold the meat. Water is not an issue, but we need to consider growing vegetables and fruits. We’ll go to the nursery and check out their selection. We’ll pick up another truck too.”

“Men, always thinking about vehicles.”